Method of manufacturing metal cans



April 10, 1962 E. 1. VALYI METHOD OF MANUFACTURING METAL CANS 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10, 1957 INVENTOR EMEBY. .Z'. VAL Y/ A'ITORNEYApril 10, 1962 E. l. VALYl METHOD OF MANUFACTURING METAL CANS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 10, 1957 INV ENTOR z M44 Y O'RNEY Aprll 10,'1962 I VALY] METHOD OF MANUFACTURING METAL CANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledOct. 10, 1957 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,028,827 METHOD OFMANUFACTURING METAL CANS Emery I. Valyi, Bronx, N.Y. ARD Corporation, 20S. Broadway, Yonkers 1, N.Y.) Filed Oct. 10, 1957, Ser. No. 689,303 12Claims. (Cl. 113-420) This invention relates to the preparation of metalcans and containers of the type used for packaging and storage of foodstuffs or other commodities and has for an ob ect to provide a novel andimproved method for manufacturing such cans and containers.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my applicatron Serial No.621,192 filed November 9, 1956 now abandoned, for Can and Method ofManufacture Thereof.

Another object is to provide a method for making cans of the above typein which the steps of bending a fiat blank into cylindrical form andsealing the contacting edges are eliminated.

Various other objects will be apparent as the nature of the invention ismore fully disclosed.

In accordance with the invention, metal strip or plate 4 is producinghaving alternating parallel regions of fiat juxtaposed layers andintegral metal. Such strip or plate may be produced somewhat along thelines set forth in my US. Patent No. 2,375,334, dated May 8, 1945. Thus,an ingot or slab of metal is formed having therethrough one or morecontinuous relatively small openings which may be of any preferredcross-section, as for example, a rectangular cross-section. The surfaceof these openings is treated or these openings are formed by or filledwith a material that by its nature prevents the openings from welding iftheir juxtaposed surfaces are brought into close contact underconsiderable pressure. For example aluminum oxide formed in situ bychemical treatment of the inside surface of the openings, or talc may beused as the weld-preventing material with an aluminum ingot or slab;finely divided silica or graphite may be used with a copper or copperalloy ingot or slab; and finely divided silica or mica, or boron nitridemay be used with a steel ingot or slab.

Alternately such a strip or plate may be formed with thin openings, byapplying, such as by spraying, painting or printing, a thin layer of theWeld-preventing materials previously cited as examples, to one surfaceof a sheet, by superimposing another like sheet over the first one andby rolling the two oonjointly to a degree suflicient to cause weldingtogether of the two sheets wherever the. weldpreventing substance is notpresent. This method is illustrated in the above-mentioned patent and isalso described in US. Patent, No. 2,690,002, issued to Grenell onSeptember 28, 1954.

The slab of metal, or alternatively, the assembly of superimposed metalplates is rolled to form a flat sheet or coil in which the portionspreviously treated with the weld-preventing substances produce alaminated structure I 3,028,827 Patented Apr. 10, 1962 cross-section anddistribute evenly the weld-preventing substance. In the case of rollingan assembly of superimposed plates, care should be taken in rolling toinsure complete welding in the areas not treated to prevent Welding.

The strip or coil so produced may then be cut longitudinally intostrips, each containing a single laminated area. Alternatively, thestrip may be cut transversely into strips containing several laminatedareas each having a length adapted to produce one can body. These stripsmay be further subdivided and ultimately cut into pieces or blanksadapted to produce a single can body. These can bodies may be formed byseparating the laminations of the blank or strip either mechanicallywith the aid of a mandrel, or by means of an air blast or fluidpressure. The methods of mechanical separation, pneumatic inflation andfluid expansion may be used singly, combined, or applied in sequence, toform the cylindrical body portion required for the finished cans.

The portions of the blank on opposite sides of the lam'inated area formfins along diametrically opposite portions of the can body which may becut to form narrow ribs and folded fiat against the outer surface of thecan body. Ends in the form of substantially flat closures are thenapplied to the open ends of the cylindrical body portions andmechanically folded, crimped, seamed, or otherwise secured in the usualmanner to produce cans or containers of the desired configuration.

Thus, a can or container is produced characterized by a body of seamlessconstruction in place of the present product which usually has asoldered or welded seam. In place of the seam, the can body according tothe invention will have two reinforcing ribs of metallurgicalcharacteristics substantially identical with those of the other portionsof the body, such characteristics being that of a metal rolledessentially in one direction from of juxtaposed individual layers Whilethe adjacent portions that were not so treated produce an integralstructure alongside the laminated structure. The operation of rolling toproduce this sheet or coil may be performed hot or cold depending uponthe nature of the specific metal to be rolled, generally in keeping withprocedures known to those skilled in the art of rolling metal. If thegrain structure of the slab requires rolling in more than one direction,any cross rolling that is performed must be carried out exactlyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the portions treated withweld-preventing substance so as to prevent distortion of the passages.In rolling the slabs as above described, an appreciable degree ofreduction in cross-section of the slab should be made as early a blockof substantially greater thickness.

The article and the steps in forming it will be better understood fromthe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which a spe cific embodiment has been set forth for purposesof illustration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a transverse section through a mold showing a slab or castingand weld-preventing inserts therein;

FIG. 2 is a broken perspective view of the slab or casting of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a broken perspective view of the coiled strip formed byrolling the slab casting of FIG. 2 showing severance lines for formingcan blanks or strips;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a strip of single canforming width indicating severance lines for making a single can blank;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view on a larger scale of an individual canblank cut from the coiled strip of FIGS. or 4 and indicating shear linesalong which the corners may be cut for the purpose to be described;

FIG. ,6 is a broken perspective view of a single can blank taken on alarger scale showing the step of slightly opening or inflating the endof the blank;

FIG. 7 is a broken perspective view showing the step of forcing theblank over a mandrel for continuing the opening thereof;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; 7

FIG. 9 is a broken perspective view showing a final stage in opening theblank on the mandrel to form the can body;

FIG. 9a is a partial section taken on the line 9a)a of FIG. 9illustrating the folded fin or rib;

FIG. 10 is a broken perspective view illustrating an alternate method ofopening or expanding the blank to form the can body;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the can body with an end closure inplace prior to crimping;

FIG. 12 is a similar perspective view of the completed can showing oneend closure secured by crimping and the other end in juxtaposed positionprior to closing the can;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged section taken on the line 1313 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an expanded tubular body as producedfrom the strip of FIG. 4 indicating severance lines for forming singlecan bodies;

FIG. 15 is a broken perspective view of a casting similar to FIG. 2 buthaving four spaced superposed inserts;

FIG. 16 is a broken perspective view on a larger scale of a can bodyformed from the casting of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 17 is a broken perspective view of a pair of superposed sheetsprior to rolling illustrating a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, FIG. 1 shows a casting 10 castin a mold 11 around a series of weldpreventing inserts 12. The ends ofthe inserts 12 seat in recesses 17 in the mold to hold the inserts inplace during pouring.

The slab 10 after removal from the mold and with the inserts still inplace as shown in FIG. 2 is rolled longitudinally by known technique toform the sheet 20 of FIG. 3 with walls or laminations 21 and 22separated by a slit 23 in the areas of the now flattened inserts.

During the rolling the inserts 12 are crushed to a weldpreventing powderform keeping the walls 21 and 22 from welding together.

The strip 20 may be of substantial length depending upon the amount ofelongation produced by the rolling operation and is shown as formed intoa coil 19 for convenience. It is to be understood that the coiled sheetmay be shipped if desired in this form to a remote point wherein thesucceeding stages of the can-forming operation may take place or the canmay be completed prior to such shipping.

The strip 20 may first be severed as by cutting, shearing or breakingalong severance lines 25 to form individual strips 24, as shown in FIG.4, which may then be separated along severance lines 26 into single canblanks 28 either before or after opening, or the strip 20 may be severedtransversely along severance lines 27 into strips of multiple can widthwhich are then severed along severance lines 25 into single can blanks28, or the transverse and longitudinal severance may take placesimultaneously to produce the single can blank 28 of FIG. 5.

The corners of the blank 28 (FIG. may be out if desired along lines 29for the purpose to be described, although such removal of the cornersmay be omitted when this step is found to be unnecessary.

The strip or blank 28 may now be opened by mechanical, pneumatic orhydraulic means to expand the slit 23 and form the walls 21 and 22 intothe shape of a can body. One method of so opening the strip or blank isillustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9.

In accordance with FIG. 6 one end of the slit is first opened veryslightly by means of a air jet 30 which is directed toward the slit andseparates the leading edges of the walls 21 and 22. In some instancesthe walls may be opened partially or completely along their entirelength by means of this air jet or fluid pressure may be applied to theslit 23 for separating the walls 21 and 22.

The strip or blank with the separated walls of FIG. 6 may then be guidedover a mandrel 31 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 by suitable feedmeans, such as rollers (not shown) to cause the walls to beprogressively opened into substantially cylindrical form, or to suchother form as may be required for the can body.

Opposite sides of the can body may be pushed inwardly to facilitate theforming of the walls 21 and 22 into the desired shape. If the sides areso pushed against the mandrel the intervening portions of the walls 21and 22 may be extended away from the surface of the mandrel so that itis not necessary that the mandral have the full final form which the canbody is to assume.

The areas of the sheet beyond the flattened slit 23 produce longitudinalfins 32 which extend along the side walls of the cylindrical body.Before or during the expanding operation these fins may be cut close tothe can body as indicated by dotted line 34 in FIGS. 7 and 8 to formnarrow ribs 35 to render the corresponding wall area resistant torupture in subsequent can body forming steps. In the final form such asindicated in FIGS. 9 and 9a the ribs 35 may be folded over or crushedagainst the side walls of the can as by pairs of rollers 36.

An alternate means for expanding the blank into cylindrical form isillustrated in FIG. 10. This method may be used in instances where theentire length of the slit 23 is opened such as by fluid means so as toprovide sufficient clearance for the insertion of a roller. The blank isthen introduced between rollers 38 and 39 which are actuated to roll theblank circumferentially so as to complete the opening of the walls 21and 22 into full cylindrical form. It is to be understood that the strip24 may be opened by the steps indicated in FIGS. 6 to 9 to form a longtube 48 as shown in FIG. 14 which may then be separated along severancelines 49 into individual can lengths. or the blanks 28 of FIG. 5 may beopened individually after severance to form can bodies.

Also the walls may be separated to a limited extent prior to severanceinto individual can blanks and the opening of the walls completed afterseverance.

It is to be understood of course that these methods of opening the blankare purely illustrative and that the walls may be formed by anyconvenient means into the shape required for the ultimate can.

The ends of the cylindrical body 40 formed as above described are nowbent to form peripheral end flanges 41 and 42 as illustrated in FIG. 11and a can end or bottom 44 in the form of a metal disk is placed againstthe end flange 41 and folded over or crimped as indicated in FIGS. 12and 13 in accordance with the usual practice of forming a closed endcan. The top 45 may be secured in a similar manner after the can hasbeen filled.

The corners of the blank may be removed as indicated by lines 29 of FIG.5 to a depth to intersect the slit 23 so as to form notches 47 in theend flanges 41 and 42. These notches are adapted when the flanges arecrirnped over as indicated in FIG. 13 to eliminate the extra thicknessof the metal which would otherwise be present at that point due to theribs 35. Such notching of the blank may be omitted if the thickness ofthe metal is such that the presence of the ribs 35 at the point ofcrimping is not objectionable.

In the event that the rolled strip of FIG. 3 is shipped to the point ofpackaging, the can-forming steps illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 13 may takeplace at the packaging point thereby reducing the shipping space whichwould otherwise be required for shipping the formed cans.

The can end has been shown in FIG. 13 as attached to the end of the can40 by a specific type of crimping. It is understood of course that theend may be secured in various ways which are common in the art.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate the steps in a method of forming atwo-compartment can. In accordance with this embodiment the slab orcasting 50 is provided with pairs of weld-preventing inserts 51 whichare in spaced juxtaposed relationship and which have a metal wall 52therebetween. When this slab 50 is rolled in accordance with theprocedure above described to form a rolled sheet and then opened intothe form of a can, as shown in FIG. 16, the intermediate metal wall 52forms a diaphragm 53 (FIG. 16) which acts as a partition to divide thecan body longitudinally into two separate compartments. Ends may beapplied to this can body in any suitable manner.

FIG. 17 illustrates an alternate method for forming the rolled sheet inwhich a pair of metal sheets 55 are superimposed with weld-preventingmaterial 56 disposed therebetween in the areas corresponding to the slit23 of FIG. 3. These sheets may be roll-welded to form a composite sheetsimilar to the coiled strip of FIG. 3.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making a metal can comprising forming a metal blankhaving a passage extending therethrough containing a weld-preventingmaterial, rolling said blank to form a flat sheet having a pair of wallsseparated by a slit in the area corresponding to said passage, andhaving integral fin-forming areas adjacent said slit, said walls beingprevented from welding together during the rolling operation by saidweld-preventing material, separating said walls to form an open end canbody having integral longitudinal fins, subjecting said fins at a stagesubsequent to the initial separation of said walls to a compressingforce adapted to deform said fins to an extent to conform them nearly,but not completely, to the contour of said walls, while leaving raisedmetal ribs extending longitudinally along said walls and thereby renderthe corresponding wall area resistant to rupture in the subsequent canbody forming steps, flaring at least one end of said can body to form aperipheral flange thereon, applying an end closure to said flange, andsecuring said end closure thereto.

2. In the method set forth in claim 1 the additional step of removingthe corners of said fin-forming areas along a line intersecting saidslit.

3. The method of making a metal can as set forth in claim 1 in whichsaid end closure is secured to said peripheral flange by crimping.

4. The method of forming metal cans which comprises forming a metalblank having a plurality of parallel passages extending longitudinallytherethrough and containing a weld-preventing material, rolling saidblank longitudinally of said passages to produce an elongated fiat sheethaving walls separated by narrow slits in the areas corresponding tosaid passages and having integral fin-forming members between andadjacent said passages, severing said sheet along said fin-formingmembers to form strips, separating said walls to form can bodies havingintegral longitudinal fins, subjecting said fins at a stage subsequentto the initial separation of said walls to a compressing force adaptedto deform said fins to an extent to conform them nearly, but notcompletely, to the contour of said walls, while leaving raised metalribs extending longitudinally along said walls, and thereby render thecorresponding wall area resistant to rupture in the subsequent can bodyforming steps, flaring at least one end of each of said bodies to form aperipheral flange thereon, applying an end closure to said flange, andsecuring said end closure thereto.

5. The method of forming a metal can from an integral blank havingmetal. walls separated by a narrow slit in selected areas only andintegrally joined in other fin-forming areas which comprises severingsaid blank into can body lengths, separating said walls to form canbodies having integral longitudinal fins, subjecting said fins at astage subsequent to the initial separation of said walls to acompressing force adapted to deform said fins to an extent to conformthem nearly, but not completely, to the contour of said walls, whileleaving raised metal ribs extending longitudinally along said walls andthereby render the corresponding wall area resistant to rupture in thesubsequent can body forming steps, flaring at least one of each of saidcan bodies to form a peripheral flange thereon, applying an end closureto said flange, and securing said end closure thereto.

6. The method of making a metal can as set forth in claim 5 in whichsaid fins are trimmed to remove excess metal prior to the step ofdeforming said fins.

7. The method set forth in claim 5 in which said severing step occursprior to the step of separating said walls.

8. The method set forth in claim 5 in which said severing step takesplace after said walls have been at least which comprises forming ametal member having a pair of super-imposed longitudinal passagesextending therethrough and separated by an intervening wall andcontaining a weld-preventing material, rolling said strip longitudinallyof said passage to form an elongated thin metal st-rip having outerwalls and an intermediate wall separated by upper and lower narrow slitsin the areas corresponding to said passages, expanding said outer wallsto form a can body in which said intermediate wall constitutes atransverse diaphragm separating said body into two chambers, said bodyhaving integral longitudinal fins, subjecting said fins at a stagesubsequent to the initial separation of said outer walls to acompressing force, adapted to deform said fins to an extent to conformthem nearly, but not completely, to the contour of said outer walls,while leaving raised metal ribs extending longitudinally along saidouter walls and thereby render the corresponding wall area resistant torupture in the subsequent can body forming steps, adapting at least oneend of said body to receive an end closure, and securing said endclosure thereto.

10. The method of making a metal can body comprising forming a metalblank having a passage extending therethrough containing aweld-preventing materiaLrolling said blank to form a flat sheet having apair of walls separated by a slit in the area corresponding to saidpassage, and having integral fin-forming areas adjacent said passage,said walls being prevented from welding together during the rollingoperation by said weld-preventing material, separating said walls toform a can body having integral longitudinal fins, subjecting said finsat a stage subsequent to the initial separation of said walls to acompressing force adapted to deform said fins to an extent to conformthem nearly, but not completely, to the contour of said walls, whileleaving raised metal ribs extending longitudinally along said walls andthereby render the corresponding wall area resistant to rupture in thesubsequent can body forming steps, and flaring at least one end of saidcan body to form a peripheral flange thereon adapted to receive an endclosure.

11. The method of forming metal can bodies comprising forming -a metalblank having a plurality of parallel passages extending longitudinallytherethrough and containing a weld-preventing material, rolling saidmember longitudinally of said passages to produce an elongated fiatsheet having walls separated by narrow slits in the areas correspondingto said passages and having integral fin-forming members between andadjacent said passages, severing said sheet along said fin-formingmembers to form strips, separating said walls to form can bodies havingintegral longitudinal fins, subjecting said fins at a stage subsequentto the initial separation of said walls to a compressing force adaptedto deform said fins to an extent to conform them nearly, but notcompletely, to the contour of said Walls, While leaving raised metalribs extending longitudinally along said outer walls and thereby renderthe corresponding wall area resistant to rupture in the subsequent canbody forming steps, and flaring at least one end of each of said bodiesto form a peripheral flange thereon adapted to receive an end closure.

12. The method of forming a metal can body from an integral blank havingmetal walls separated by a narrow slit in selected areas only andintegrally joined in other fin-forming areas which comprises severingsaid blank into can body lengths, separating said walls to form canbodies having integral longitudinal fins, subjecting said fins at astage subsequent to the initial separation of said walls to acompressing force adapted to deform said fins to an extent to conformthem nearly, but not completely, to the contour of said walls, whileleaving raised metal ribs ex- 7 tending longitudinally along said outerwalls and thereby render the corresponding wall area resistant torupture in the subsequent can body forming steps, and flaring at leastone end of each of said can bodies to form a peripheral flange thereonadapted to receive an end closure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3Lewis et a1. a Oct. 28, 1930 Maskrey Dec. 12, 1933 Hothersall Oct. 20,1942 Atkinson Feb. 22, 1944 Pearson July 15, 1947 Thornburgh Nov. 9,1948 Kruse Jan. 4, 1949 Laxo Nov. 23, 1954 Peters et a1 Feb. 22, 1955Campbell Aug. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Nov. 1, 1956

